Hand grenade



G. KEELING HAND GRENADE Oct. 27, 1942.

2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 7, 1941 A Home Patented Oct. 27, 1942 assume Price The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in hand grenades, and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character comprising an impact firing mechanism of a novel construction and arrangement whereby the grenade will be caused to explode instantly upon striking an object or surface.

Another very important object 01 the invention is to provide a hand grenade oi the aforementioned character comprising means for positively preventing firing until the grenade is to be used.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a hand grenade of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, compact, light in weight, reliable and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a hand grenade constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in horizontalsection, taken substantially on the line 2-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view in bottom plan of the slidable fulminate or detonating medium.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the grenade.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view, showing the grenade ready to be thrown.

Figure 6 is a detail view in perspective of the fulminate chamber.

Referring now to be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a substantially spherical grooved shell I of suitable metal. I

The shell I is for the reception of an explosive charge 2. Toward this end. the shell I has threaded thereinto a filling plug or closure 3.

Threadedly mounted in the shell I at a point diametrically opposite the closure 3 is a plug 4.

The plug l includes a smooth or unthreaded, re-

duced inner portion 5 having mounted thereon a cylindrical chamber 8. The, inner end of the chamberBisclosedbyaca-p I.

Slldably mounted in the cylindrical chamber 6 is adetonating medium 8. The face of the detonating medium 8 which is=opposed to the plug is provided with igniting caps 9. Coil springs ill yieldingly urge the detonating medium A n y in I} v the drawings in detail, it will .a screw li. Projecting 8 away from the plug ii. The cylindrical chamber B communicates with the shell I through slots it formed in said chamber at a point between the plug 6 and the detonating medium 8. The

opposed ends of the members i and 8 have formed therein sockets I2 which accommodate the end portions of the coil springs I0.

Projecting from the inner end of the plug 4 is a pair of firing pins I3 for igniting the caps Q. Extending into the plug 5 from the outer end thereof is a threaded socket or bore I4. The bore it includes a smooth, reduced inner end portion it which communicates with a socket IS in the inner end portion of the plug 6.

The bore It is adapted to threadedly receive longitudinally from the inner end of the screw I! is a pin I8 which is slidaible in the smooth reduced portion I5 of the socket or bore It. The pin l8 terminates, at its inner end, in a head I9 which is engageable with the detonating medium 8.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, when the screw I1 is threaded home in the bore It the headed end I9 oi the pin I8 is engaged with the detonating medium 8 for positively spacing said medium from the firing pins I3, as seen drawings. A lock washer 20 is provided for the screw II. when the grenade is to be used, the screw I1 is backed out of the bore I4 (see Fig. 5) thereby disengaging the pin I8 from the detonating medium 8. Only the coil springs I!) new maintain the detonating medium 8 out of contact with the firing pins I3. The grenade is then thrown and when it strikes an object the coil springs III are overcome by the impact and the igniting caps 9 are caused to engage the pins I3 by which they are fired. When the detonating medium 8 is thus ignited the fire passes through the slots II into the shell I and explodes the charge 2 therein. As shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, the socket I5 accommodates the head I9 of the pin I8 when said pin is in retracted position. When the head I9 seats in the socket I5 further unscrewing of the screw H from the plug 4 is prevented. It will thus be seen that the screw I! cannot be lost.

It is believed that the many advantages of a hand grenade constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement inFlgurelofthe 

